Read Online Cry of the Ghost Wolf: Neverwinter NiChosen of Nendawen, Book III by Mark Sehesdedt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mark Sehesdedt
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glanced at each other. One said something Darric could not understand, then they both disappeared.
“At least give us water!” Darric said.
No answer.
“They’re still up there,” said Valsun. “I can hear them. And more than two.”
Another shape came into view. Unhelmeted, her long hair was tossed by the breeze.
“Hweilan?” said Darric, disbelieving.
“Are you hurt?” she called.
A warm flood of relief washed over Darric. She was alive. That meant they might not be doomed after all.
“Half starved and more than half frozen,” Valsun called up. “And Jaden has convinced himself he’s dying, but I fear the gods have not blessed us that far.”
There was a sharp
clank
from the other side of the wall, and the bars overhead began to slide into the stone.
“They are going to get you out,” said Hweilan. “But I am bid to tell you that you are bound to behave yourselves. Ihave spoken for you. Try anything foolish, and I am sworn to kill you myself.”
Darric and Valsun exchanged a concerned look.
“What’s happening up there, lady?” said Valsun.
The last of the bars disappeared into the wall, and the same rope that had hauled Hweilan out earlier fell into the pit.
“I’ll explain everything up here. Let’s get you warm and fed first.”
“I’m not sure Jaden can climb,” Darric called up to her.
One of the hobgoblin warriors looked down the hole. “Tie it round his ankles! We’ll drag ’im up!”
“Oh, gods,” Jaden moaned as he rolled in his blankets. “Help me, for pity’s sake.”
“Help yourself,” said Valsun and nudged him with his boot. “Get that loop under your arms, or I swear on my mother’s name I’ll tie the damned thing around your neck.”
Darric went up first. He had to squint and blink as he came up into the full daylight. But when he could finally open his eyes, he saw three hobgoblins pulling on the rope; another eight warriors, all armed; and four more with bows crouched on the rocks overhead.
Hweilan stood apart from the warriors, her dark hair unbound. The right sleeve of her shirt was gone, and she wore no coat. Not even a cloak. But she seemed completely unbothered by the cold.
“Hweilan,” Darric said, then stopped. He’d been about to say
are you well?
But it was obvious she was. Not a scratch on her. The skin on her right arm had an oddly pale patch, and something about the tattoo there looked odd, but then she caught him staring.
“Yes?” she said sharply.
Darric blushed. “I’m … uh, grateful. For getting us out. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she said, then turned away.
Stung, Darric turned to watch as Jaden half-stumbled and was half-dragged out of the pit. As he cleared the lip of stone, blinking against the light, two hobgoblins grabbed hisshirt, hauled him out, and dumped him on the ground. The scrawny Damaran had somehow managed to keep one of the blankets wrapped around his shoulders during the ordeal.
As the two hobgoblins got Jaden out of the rope, he looked to Hweilan. “Next time you plan on dropping a hobgoblin on a fellow’s head, you might want to let him know.”
“Stop whining,” she said. “I told you to be ready.”
When Valsun came out of the pit, he shrugged his way out of the rope, and by the way he was studying their surroundings, Darric knew the old knight was weighing their chances of escape. His grim expression a moment later showed that he’d come to the same conclusion Darric had.
Hweilan looked down at Jaden, who was still sitting on the ground, shivering despite his blanket. Then she walked over to Valsun and gave his bruised and battered face a critical look. She spared Darric only a quick glance, then turned to one of the hobgoblins and said, “Get Kaad. Tell him these men need some
gunhin
.”
All the warriors around them erupted in laughter, and a few of them even hooted and pounded their chests.
“Which one needs it the most, eh?” said one of the warriors, and the
“At least give us water!” Darric said.
No answer.
“They’re still up there,” said Valsun. “I can hear them. And more than two.”
Another shape came into view. Unhelmeted, her long hair was tossed by the breeze.
“Hweilan?” said Darric, disbelieving.
“Are you hurt?” she called.
A warm flood of relief washed over Darric. She was alive. That meant they might not be doomed after all.
“Half starved and more than half frozen,” Valsun called up. “And Jaden has convinced himself he’s dying, but I fear the gods have not blessed us that far.”
There was a sharp
clank
from the other side of the wall, and the bars overhead began to slide into the stone.
“They are going to get you out,” said Hweilan. “But I am bid to tell you that you are bound to behave yourselves. Ihave spoken for you. Try anything foolish, and I am sworn to kill you myself.”
Darric and Valsun exchanged a concerned look.
“What’s happening up there, lady?” said Valsun.
The last of the bars disappeared into the wall, and the same rope that had hauled Hweilan out earlier fell into the pit.
“I’ll explain everything up here. Let’s get you warm and fed first.”
“I’m not sure Jaden can climb,” Darric called up to her.
One of the hobgoblin warriors looked down the hole. “Tie it round his ankles! We’ll drag ’im up!”
“Oh, gods,” Jaden moaned as he rolled in his blankets. “Help me, for pity’s sake.”
“Help yourself,” said Valsun and nudged him with his boot. “Get that loop under your arms, or I swear on my mother’s name I’ll tie the damned thing around your neck.”
Darric went up first. He had to squint and blink as he came up into the full daylight. But when he could finally open his eyes, he saw three hobgoblins pulling on the rope; another eight warriors, all armed; and four more with bows crouched on the rocks overhead.
Hweilan stood apart from the warriors, her dark hair unbound. The right sleeve of her shirt was gone, and she wore no coat. Not even a cloak. But she seemed completely unbothered by the cold.
“Hweilan,” Darric said, then stopped. He’d been about to say
are you well?
But it was obvious she was. Not a scratch on her. The skin on her right arm had an oddly pale patch, and something about the tattoo there looked odd, but then she caught him staring.
“Yes?” she said sharply.
Darric blushed. “I’m … uh, grateful. For getting us out. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she said, then turned away.
Stung, Darric turned to watch as Jaden half-stumbled and was half-dragged out of the pit. As he cleared the lip of stone, blinking against the light, two hobgoblins grabbed hisshirt, hauled him out, and dumped him on the ground. The scrawny Damaran had somehow managed to keep one of the blankets wrapped around his shoulders during the ordeal.
As the two hobgoblins got Jaden out of the rope, he looked to Hweilan. “Next time you plan on dropping a hobgoblin on a fellow’s head, you might want to let him know.”
“Stop whining,” she said. “I told you to be ready.”
When Valsun came out of the pit, he shrugged his way out of the rope, and by the way he was studying their surroundings, Darric knew the old knight was weighing their chances of escape. His grim expression a moment later showed that he’d come to the same conclusion Darric had.
Hweilan looked down at Jaden, who was still sitting on the ground, shivering despite his blanket. Then she walked over to Valsun and gave his bruised and battered face a critical look. She spared Darric only a quick glance, then turned to one of the hobgoblins and said, “Get Kaad. Tell him these men need some
gunhin
.”
All the warriors around them erupted in laughter, and a few of them even hooted and pounded their chests.
“Which one needs it the most, eh?” said one of the warriors, and the
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